Protective device



May 26, 1970 Filed Dec. l0, 1968 l.. J. WOLF" PROTECTIVE DEVICE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. l0, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS).

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wvl-:mon: BY LESTER J. WOLF ATTYS.

United States Patent C 3,513,787 PROTECTIVE DEVICE Lester J. Wolf,Westmont, NJ., assignor to Gas-Guard Corporation of America, HaddonHeights, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 10, 1968, Ser. No.782,581 Int. Cl. Eg 3/00; G08b 13/06 U.S. Cl. 109-32 13 Claims ABSTRACT0F THE DISCLOSURE A protective device for doors, windows and similarclosures including a latch cooperable with a strike to lock the closure.The latch is mounted in a lock casing for Akey-operated displacementbetween an operative and inoperative position relative to the strike.The lock casing is mounted on the closure for resilient movement awayfrom a home position to an offset position in any one of three modes,respectively in response to forcible displacement of the closure inthree directions and a sear is mounted on the lock casing to trigger analarm when said lock casing is displaced to any one of its offsetpositions.

The present invention relates to locks of the type in which tamperingwith the lock discharges a tear gas bomb f or other alarm, and is amodification of the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,970, issuedI an. 17, 1956 to Frank V. Martin.

The patented device was designed for use on Wooden doors which aremounted to swing either inwardly or outwardly within an access opening,and such devices have found particular utility in commercialestablishments such as stores and warehouses where valuable merchandiseis left unattended for extended periods. The patented device isparticularly effective not only because of the alarm signal produced bythe tampering, but also because of the discharge of tear gas or asimilar material which incapacitates the individual tampering with thedoor and prevents the disabled individual from removing merchandise.

In recent years, the architectural trend has been away from swingingwooden doors and toward metal and glass doors which either swing twoways or slide Within the access opening. The metal frame members orStiles of the door are normally much narrower than the conventionalwooden framework and the tampering with the door may entail forcibledisplacement both inward and outward and also in the plane of the door.Accordingly, it has been found invaluable to provide a protective devicewhich is sensitive to forcible displacement of the door in any ont ofthree separate directions and yet is of a sufficiently compact design tobe mounted on the relatively narrow stiles of a metallic door.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention prov'ides an improvedprotective device which is responsive to forcible displacement of aclosure in any one of three directions.

The invention also provides a protective device of a compact designwhich operates effectively to trigger an alarm, such as an explosivecapsule which liberates a disabling gas.

More specifically, the present invention provides a protective devicehaving a latch cooperable with a strike, the latch being mounted in alocked casing which is operable to be displaced to an offset position inresponse to any tampering which results in forcible displacement of thelock casing relative to the closure in any one of three directions.

Specifically, the illustrated embodiment of the inven- 3,513,787Patented May 26, 1970 ICC tion comprises a spring-biased trigger meansnormally retained cocked against the bias by a sear mounted on the lockcasing and operable to be disengaged from the trigger means in the eventof tampering which results in forcible displacement of the lock casing.

All of the objects of the invention are more fully set forth hereinafterwith reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary View in side elevation of a protective deviceembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views taken on the line 5-5 and 66 respectively of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 4 illustratingthe elements of the protective device in 'firing position resulting fromforcible displacement within the plane of the door opening.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the elementsof the device in a firing position resulting,

from forcible displacement of the door away from the plane of the dooropening.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of amodified protective device incorporating an electrical actuatorresponsive to tampering; and

FIG. 10 is a view in side elevation at a reduced scale illustrating adevice which may be utilized for adjusting the sensitivity of theprotective device shown in FIGS. l through 8.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the protective device ismounted on the vertical frame member or stile 12 of a metal and glassdoor 13 mounted for sliding movement in a plane of the door opening toclose an access opening 14 having a frame structure 15. The protectivedevice includes a conventional lock casing 16 having a latch 17 adaptedto project therefrom to engage in a keeper opening 18 formed in a strike19 secured to the frame structure 15. Of course, if the thickness of theframe structure permits, the strike may be omitted and the keeperopening for receiving the latch 17 may be formed directly in themetallic frame structure.

In accordance with the invention, an alarm device is provided, having atrigger means mounted adjacent the lock casing 16 and operable uponforcible displacement of the lock casing to trigger or initiate analarm, as for example, when the door is tampered with or forcible entryis attempted. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. lthrough 8, the alarm device comprises an elongated capsule 22 of adisabling gas such as tear gas, having a cap 23 operable in response topercussive detonation to explode and release the gas from the capsule22. The trigger means comprises a firing pin 24 mounted in a hollowcylindrical guide 2S for displacement between an active positionengaging the cap 23 and an inactive position away from said cap. The pin24 is biased toward the acti've position by a compression spring 26mounted in the guide surrounding a reduced portion of the pin as `shownin FIG. 4. The guide member 25 is mounted on the frame structure 12 ofthe closure 13- by means of a mounting bracket 31 secured to the framemember 12 by suitable fasteners 32 (see FIG. 2). The bracket 31 hasupstanding lugs 33 mounting the opposite ends of the guide member 24 inparallel relation to the frame member 12. To accommodate the mechanismto the limited dimensions of the stile, the capsule 22 and cap 23 aremounted parallel to the guide 25, in the present instance in directalignment with the tiring pin 24, by spring clips 35 projecting from thebracket 31 and are held against the bottom of the guide member by aspring abutment 36.

The tiring pin 24 is normally retained in its cocked inactive positionby a sear element 42 mounted on the lock casing 16. To this end, theupper end of the tiring pin is provided with a circumferential groove 43providing an annular shoulder adapted to bear on a doublepointed noseportion 44 of the sear element 42, best shown in FIG. 8. Thus upondisplacement of the lock casing, the double-pointed nose portion 44disengages the annular shoulder formed by the groove 43 to release thefiring pin 24 for movement to its active position under the bias of thespring 26 to percussively engage the cap 23 and release the gas from thecapsule 22.

In accordance with the invention, the lock casing 16 is yieldablymounted on the bracket 31 so that it may be displaced away from its homeposition, in which the sear nose 44 is operatively engaged in the groove43, to an offset position in which the nose 44 disengages the groove 43.The yieldable mounting is such that the displacement of the lock ca-singfrom its home position may occur in any one of three modes respectivelyin response to forcible displacement of the door 13 in three directionsrelative to the frame structure 15, i.e. sliding movement longitudinallywithin the plane of the opening 14 away from the structure 15, forwardlateral movement out of the plane of the opening 14, and rearwardlateral movement out of the plane of the opening 14.

In the present instance, the casing 16 is resiliently and yieldablymounted in the door frame member 12. To provide this resilient mounting,the mounting bracket 31 is provided along the free edge of the door withoutstanding legs 47 having enlarged apertures 48 therein (see FIGS. 7and 8) Iwhich register with apertured mounting ears 49 projecting fromthe lock casing 16. The casing 16 is mounted on the bracket by bolts 52having heads 53 bearing against the ears 49 and nuts 54 threaded on thebolts 52 and bearing against springs 55 which are seated behind the legs47. The springs 55 therefore urge the ears 49 flush against the front ofthe legs 47 to normally position the lock casing 16 in the home positionillustrated in FIG. 3.

The spring mounting of the lock casing 16 in this manner permitsdisplacement of the lock casing relative to the bracket 31 in the eventof attempted forcible entry. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, if the door isforced away from the framework 15, within the plane of the opening 14,the springs 55 are compressed by the engagement of the latch 17 in thekeeper opening 18. When the springs 55 `are compressed, the nose 44 ofthe Sear 42 disengages from the groove 43 permitting the firing pin 24to detonate the cap 23. The displacement of the nose 44 is longitudinalwithin the plane defined by the perpendicular axes of the pin 24 and thenose 44. On the other hand, if the attempt at forcible entry forces thedoor 13 out of the plane of the opening, the enlarged apertures 48permit pivotal movement of the lock casing against the bias of thespring 55, as shown in FIG. 8, as a result of the engagement of thelatch 17 in the keeper opening 18. The pivotal movement of the casing 16on the axis through the fasteners 52 within the plane defined by the pinand the nose displaces the nose laterally out of the plane to disengagethe groove and effect detonation of the cap by the pin.

Since the yielding force of the spring against the pivotal movement ofFIG. 8 tends to be less than the yielding force against the bodilymovement of FIG. 7, it is desirable to provide additional resistance tosuch pivotal movement so as to avoid inadvertent triggering of theprotective device, as for example, when the door is rattled by the windor by someone trying the door to determine whether it is locked or open.To this end, deformable guide arms 57 are provided on the sear 42. Asshown in FIG. 5, the guide arms 57 diverge outwardly from the searelement 42, the inner arm 57 engaging the mounting bracket 31 and theouter arm 57 engaging a cover element 58 .which encloses the protectivedevice. The guide arms 57 are of a strength which permits them to bend,as shown in full lines in FIG. 8, when a predetermined pivoting force isapplied to the lock casing 16 through forcible displacement of theclosure 13 out of the plane of the access opening 14. When this occurs,the double-pointed nose portion 44 of the sear element 42 disengages thegroove 43 and permits the firing pin to detonate the cap 26. To permitescape of the disabling gas from the capsule 22, suitable \vents areprovided in the cover 58 at 59.

The construction of the protective device is such that it must beinactivated with `a key, disengaging the latch 17 from the keeperopening 18. The latch is retracted into the interior of the lock casing16 in any conventional manner by a lock actuator. The actuator for thelatch 17 comprises a driver 61 which passes through a slotted barrel 62in the lock casing 16 and terminates at one end in a lock cylinder 63mounted within the frame member 16 and at the other end in a lockcylinder 64 mounted in a housing 65 on the cover members 58. Preferably,the cylinders 63 and 64 have identical tumblers so that the same key maybe used to inactivate the protective device from either the inside orthe outside of the closure. To prevent unauthorized dismantling of theprotective device when it is locked, the cover member 58 is secured tothe mounting bracket 31 by means of fasteners 66 whose heads are coveredby the strike 19 when the protective device is locked with the latch 17in the keeper opening 18. To prevent dismantling of the strike from theframe structure, at least one of the fasteners 67 which mount the strikeon the frame structure is located behind the latch 17 when the device islocked. As a further precaution, the fasteners 67 may have their headsmutilated after assembly so that they are not readily removed to freethe strike from the structure.

The structure of the protective device permits repeated usage of thedevice by simply replacing the gas capsule. This is accomplished byremoving the cover element 58 after unlocking the protective device anddisplacing the door from the frame structure. With the cover removed,the spent capsule 22 and cap 23 may be simply removed from their springclips and the firing pin 24 may be driven upwardly in its guide 25 tore-engage the nose 44 of the sear 42 in the groove 43. To facilitatethis re-engagement, the free end of they ring pin is conical asindicated at 69 so that upon the upward displacement of the firing pin,the conical portion engages between the points ofthe nose portion -44and effects outward displacement of the nose portion so that it maythereafter engage in the groove 43. When the firing pin 24 is thuscocked in its inactive position, a fresh capsule 22 and cap 23 may beinserted in the spring clips. If the triggering of the device entailedbending of a guide arm 57, the bent arm should be returned to itsoriginal configuration or replaced with a new one. Thereafter, the coveris replaced and the device is in condition for subsequent firing.

The device of FIGS. 1 to 8 may be modified to operate in conjunctionwith an electrical alarm system. To this end a single pole, double throwswitch is mounted on the mounting bracket 31, for example, as shown inFIG. 9'. As shown, the single pole, double throw switch 71 is mountedwith its switch operator 72 bearing on the conical tip 69 of the tiringpin. The switch terminals 73 are connected into the electrical alarmsystem as required. In the present instance, three terminals areprovided and only two terminals are used. If the alarm system is of thenormally open-circuit type in which closure of the circuit could use thealarm, the terminals are connected so that when the switch is in theillustrated position, the connected terminals are open so that they maybe closed when the device is triggered. If the alarm circuit is of thenormally closed circuit type wherein an opening in the circuit actuatesthe alarm, the terminals are connected so that they are closed when inthe position shown in FIG. 9 to be opened upon triggering of theprotective device. If a combination open-circuit, closed-circuit alarmsystem is employed, all three terminals are used. `It is apparent thatwhen the protective device is used in conjunction with an electricalalarm circuit, the protective device triggers the alarm before theclosure is opened and an early warning of an attempted unauthorizedentry is obtained. Thus, the gas capsule 22 may be omitted completely ifit is desired to avoid contamination of the premises by gas and to relysolely on the electrical alarm system. In other respects, the device ofFIG. 9 is identical to the device described above in FIGS. 1 to 8.

The sensitivity of the protective device may be adjusted within widelimits. Such adjustment is accomplished by adjusting the compression ofthe springs 55 to thereby adjust the yielding force tending to seat thelock casing 16 in its home position wherein the ears 49 bear against thefront of the legs 47. The adjustment of the sensitivity is preferablyaccomplished after the device is installed by displacing the door 1-3away from the frame structure to expose the heads 53 of the bolts 52.With the gas capsule 22 and cap 23 removed, the bolts 52 are adjusteduntil the desired spring force is obtained.

To facilitate adjustment of the spring force, a torque 'test tool 81 maybe used as shown in FIG. l0. The tool consists of a base 82 which isadapted to bear against the frame member 12 of the closure and a Ihookl83 which is adapted to be engaged with the latch 17. A pointer 84 ismounted on the frame 82 and a handle 85 having a scale 86 thereon ispivoted to the frame by a shaft as indicated at 87. The hook is attachedto the handle `85 by a wire rope 8S which is trained over a pulley 89mounted on the shaft and is engaged with the handle through a bar 90.The engagement is such that when the lock casing 16 is in its homeposition, the handle 85'- is apporximately parallel to the frame member.

When adjusting the spring force, the bolts 52 are tightened to firmlyseat the lock casing 16 in its home position. The handle is thendepressed, deflecting the handle and/ 0r stretching the cable, until thepointer registers with the desired force o-n the scale and with thehandle in this position, the bolts 52 are loosened to the point Wherethe nose 44 is on the point of disengagement from the groove 43. Withthe bolts 52 adjusted in this manner, the proper spring force urging thelock casing 16 to its home position is obtained. The handle may then bereleased and the torque tool removed and the gas cartridge and capreplaced in the spring clip.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been hereinillustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the invention tosuch disclosure but changes and modifications may be made therein andthereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a protective device for access openings having a frame structure,and a closure structure normally movable between an open posi-tion and aclosed position in said frame structure;

a lock casing element having a latch; means mounting said casing elementon one of said structures; a strike element; means mounting said strikeelement the other of said structures in registry with said latch to locksaid closure against opening from said closed position when said latchis in operative position; one of said mounting means permitting limitedmovement of its associated element; yieldable means urging said movableelement to a home position; an alarm mechanism having trigger meansmounted adjacent said movable element operable between an activeposition in which it triggers the alarm mechanism land an inactiveposition; bias means to urge said trigger means toward said activeposition; and a sear carried by said movable element in a position whenit is in its home position to retain said trigger means in its inactiveposition against said bias means and operable upon displacement of saidmovable element from said 'home position against said yieldable means toeffect displacement of said trigger means to said active position;

the improvement wherein said yieldable means affords displacement ofsaid movable element away from its home position to an olset position inany one of three modes respectively in response to forcible displacementof said closure away from its closed position in three directionsrelative to said access opening, said trigger means comprisinganelongated element having a transverse groove therein, and said searincludes a nose portion engaged in said groove when said casing is inits home position and -disengaged from said groove upon displacement ofsaid movable element transversely outward to said offset position in anyone of three directions transverse to said elongated element.

2. A protective device according to claim 1 wherein said trigger meansis an elongated pin substantially perpendicular to said nose portion andsaid yieldable means mounts said movable element and said nose portionfor movements longitudinally away from said groove within a planedelined by said nose portion rand said pin, laterally away from saidgroove in one direction out of said plane, and laterally away from saidgroove in the opposite direction out of said plane, to thereby releasesaid pin for longitudinal displacement to its active position by saidbias means.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said yieldable means includesfasteners interconnecting said movable element to its associatedmounting means for both movement longitudinally of said nose portion andpivotal movement on said fasteners in either clockwise orcounterclockwise direction about an axis in said plane transverse to andspaced from said nose means.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said fasteners comprise nutsand bolts and spring means biasing said movable element to its homeposition; said movable element and its mounting means having aperturesreceiving said bolts with suicient clearance to afford either saidlongitudinal or said pivotal movement upon yielding of said springmeans, said nuts being adjustable on said bolts to vary the biasingforce of said spring means.

5. A tool for adjusting a device according to claim 4 including a baseadapted to engage said mounting means, a pivot on said base, a handlemounted on said pivot, pulley carried by said handle, and a cablesecured to said handle, trained over said pulley and engageable withsaid movable element whereby a predetermined displacement of said handletensions said cable to exert a predetermined force against said movableelement tending to displace it longitudinally of said nose against thebias of said spring means so that the biasing force of said spring meansmay be adjusted to equal said predetermined force.

6. A device according to claim 2 wherein said yieldable means includes`deformable means on said sear engageable with said closure to yieldablyresist said lateral movement of said nose portion.

7. A device according to claim 2 wherein said groove circumscribes saidpin to provide an annular shoulder and said nose portion comprises adouble-pointed element engageable with said annular shoulder, said pinterminating adjacent said groove in a conical tip cooperable with saiddouble-pointed element to displace said nose portion aiordingre-engagement of said element in said groove.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein said alarm mechanism includes agas capsule and a cap which may 7 be percussively detonated to releasethe gas from said capsule, said trigger means comprising a ring pin forsaid cap.

9. A device according to claim 1 wherein said alarm mechanism includesan electrical switch responsive to displacement of said trigger means toits active position to energize an alarm.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein said switch is a single-pole,double-throw switch operable to control both a normally-closed and anormally-open alarm circuit.

11. A tool for exerting a predetermined force against a movable elementof a protective device for a closure, comprising a base adapted toengage said closure, a pivot on said base, a handle mounted on saidpivot, pulley carried by said handle, and a cable secured to saidhandle, trained over 'said pulley and engageable with said elementwhereby a predetermined displacement of said handle deflects `saidhandle and/or tensions said cable to exert a predetermined force againstsaid movable element tending to displace said element away from itsmounting.

12. In a protective device for access openings having a fname structure,`and a closure structure normally movable between an open position and aclosed position in said frame structure;

a lock casing element having a latch; means mounting said casing elementon one of said structures; a strike element; means mounting said strikeelement on the other of said structures in registry with said latch tolock said closure against opening from said closed position when saidlatch is in operative position; one of said mounting means permittinglimited movement of its associated element; yieldable means urging saidmovable element to a home position; an alarm mechanism yhaving triggermeans mounted adjacent said movable element operable between an activeposition in which it triggers the alarm mechanism and `an inactiveposition; bias means to urge said trigger means toward said activeposition; and

a sear carried by said movable element in a position when it is in itshome position to retain said trigger means in its inactive positionagainst said bias means and operable upon displacement of said movableelement from said home position against said yieldable means to effectdisplacement of said trigger means to said active position;

the improvement wherein said alarm mechanism includes an elongated gascapsule having an end cap engageable by said trigger means to bepercussively detonated upon endwise impact for releasing the gas fromthe capsule; and said trigger means comprises an elongated pin parallelto said capsule and having a reduced portion, a groove at one end whenin its inactive position engageable with said sear, and ring means atthe opposite end to provide endwise impact upon said end cap of thecapsule and trigger said alarm mechanism when said pin is in its activeposition, a hollow cylindrical guide mounting said pin for longitudinaldisplacement therein, said bias means comprising a compression springsurrounding said reduced portion of the pin within said guide todisplace said pin to its active position upon disengagement of said searfrom said groove.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein said groove is acircumferential groove surrounding said pin providing an annularshoulder adapted to bear upon said scar, said pin terminatingimmediately beyond said groove in a conical tip so as to insuredisengagement of said sear from said pin upon longitudinal displacementof the pin in a direction toward its active position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,541,563 2/1951 Walsh 109-322,730,970 l/l956 Martin 109-32 3,322,078 5/1967 MacDonald 109-31 J. KARLBELL, Primary Examiner

